Switching device



il 1927. Apr A. R. SWOBODA SWITCHING DEVICE Filed Feb. 3, 1925 Patented .Apr. 12, 1927.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

anonrna. swonona, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, assmnon, BY IESNE assum mnms, 'rownsman ELECTRIC'COMPANY; INCORPORATED, a conrona'rrou or NEW YORK.

swrrcnme DEVICE.

Application filed February a, 1925. Serial m. 6,618.

This invention relates tof switching devices and more specifically to switching debelight and compact and at the same timev be cheap to manufacture and reliable in operation. The object of this invention is to provide a very compact and efficient double pole single throw switch.- 1

A feature of this invention is the provision of movable contacts in the form of metallic balls which are carried by a rotatable insulating disc andpressed against as sociated fixed contacts under the action of a common spring member. The contacting balls, being mounted in such a manner that they are capable of self-adjustment with respect to their associated contacts, always establish positive contact between the balls and the fixed contacts. v

Other features and advantages of this invention will appear from the" following de scription and appended drawing in which- Fig. 1 is an enlarged central" sectional view of the switch.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of. the switch taken approximately in line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig.3 is a perspective view of the spring disc.

The switch of this invention preferably consistsof a circular housing 10 which has a laterally extending threaded hub portion 11 in which a shaft 12 rotates. This shaft has a flattened portion 13 on which an insulating disc '14 is mounted. This disc has two oppositely radially disposed slots 15 and 16 in which the metallic balls 17 and 18 are freely mounted.

An insulatingdisc the flattenetlportion of the shaft is adapted to hold the balls 17 and 18-in contacting relation with the associated group of wire terminals which for practical reasons are electrically connected in pairs 19-20 and 21-22.

A metallic disc 23 mounted on the flattened portion 13 of the shaft bears in its central portion againsta collar-26 which is formdintegrally with the shaft '12. This 6 slidably mounted on disc has two oppositely disposed resilient arms 24 and 25 which ar against the insulated disc 16 for hol ing the conducting balls 17 and 18 in contacting relationwith their associated group of wire terminals.

Each group of I wire terminals 1920, 21--22 is preferably embedded into an insulating disc 36 which has a central aperture providedfor supporting the small end portionof shaft 12. This disc 36 may be held in adjusted position in the housing 10 by any suitable means such .as screws 27 shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A pin 28 embedded in theinsulating disc 36 has one end portion laterall extending in a recess 29 made in the perip iery of disc 14 and cooperates with the pin 28 to provide a positive stop for limiting the angular 'movement of a knob 30 and the contacting balls with respect to their associated contacts; The insulating disc 36 is providcd with depressions 33 and 34 adjacently disposed totheir associated sets of contacts and in which the balls 17 and 18 are adapted to rest under the tension of the metallic disc 23 when they are moved out of contacting relation from their respective sets of contacts, thus preventing the accidentakmovement of the knob 30 and the consequent/interconnection of the balls with their associated fixed contacts.

The knob 30 may be secured on the outward extending portion of the shaft 11 in any convenient manner. Y

The switch, housing 10 may be mounted on a. supporting member, such as a plate 31, and held securely thereon by means of a nut 32 in threaded engagement withtt-he threaded lower -cost. This is due to the fact that the dimension of the operating parts need not beheld at very close limits, since the selfadjusting featureof the balls assures a positive connection between the balls and the fixed contacts within a considerable range of variations in the dimensions of the parts.

What is claimed is:

1. Ina switch, a base of insulating material, a bank of sets-of fixed contacts inserted therein, a rotable shaft, an insulating disc containing a plurality of notches carried by said shaft, and a ball associated with each of said sets of contacts carried in each of said notches of said disc for contacting with its associated set when said shaft is rotated.

2. In a switch, an insulating base, a rotatable shaft extending through said base, a stop pin and a plurality of sets of contacts in said base, a notched insulating member fixed to said shaft, a spherical conducting member in each of the notches of said member, which upon rotation of the shaft moves in or out of contact with said contacts depending on the direction of rotation, an insulating disc also carried by said shaft and a recess in the periphery of said disc to cooperate with said pin to limit the movement of said shaft and thus control the movement of said spherical conducting members.

3. In a switcln'a housing having a centrally disposed hub portion, a shaft movable in said hub portion, a plurality of cooper-ating discs carried by said shaft, an insulating disc secured in the. housing, fixed contacts mounted on said insulating disc, and a plurality of self-adjusting contacts carried by one of the movable discs for establishing connection between the fixed contacts.

4. In a switch, a housing having a projection, a disc secured in said housing and on 80 said, shaft, self-adjusting contacts carried by said disc, another insulating disc, and means cooperating with the last mentioned disc for resiliently holding the self-adjusting contacts in contacting relation with said sets of contacts, means for moving the adjustable contacts out .of enga cable relation with the other contacts, an means for limiting the distance of said movement.

5. In a switch, a bank of oppositely disposed groups of contacts, a self-adjusting contacting member for each of said groups, a plurality of cooperating discs for moving said members in and out of contacting relation with the contacts of each of said groups, a resilient member and plurality of recesses in said bank cooperating with said spring for resiliently'holding said contacting member out of contacting relation from said contact.

I In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 29th day of January A. D.,

\ADOLPH R. SWOBODA. 

